


What Keeps You Up At Night?

by QuidditchSeason1977



Series: Writer's Workshop - Flash Fiction Edition [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:15:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25735660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuidditchSeason1977/pseuds/QuidditchSeason1977
Summary: What keeps Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Tim Drake up at night?
Relationships: Tim Drake/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Writer's Workshop - Flash Fiction Edition [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1866859
Kudos: 87





	What Keeps You Up At Night?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for prompt #4 of my Writer's Workshop - Flash Fiction Edition list. That's a list of 52 prompts to help me get back into writing - the idea being to do one per week as quickly as possible (I've given myself a max writing time of 2 hours per prompt) in 500-1000 words. See the series page for the full list of prompts.
> 
> I don't own anything from either Miraculous Ladybug or Batman!

Long after midnight, after several hours of tossing and turning, Marinette finally gave up on sleep. It didn’t seem to matter how many sheep she counted apparently; she just was not going to fall asleep that night. Figuring that she may as well use the time productively, she got out of bed, pulled on a sweater (one of Tim’s that she’d… forgotten to return) and slipped out of her bedroom, all as silently as possible so she didn’t wake Tikki.

Lost in thought as she headed through the silent manor halls, she only absently noticed the light already on in the library until an amused voice asked, “Couldn’t sleep?”

Jumping slightly, Marinette looked at her boyfriend. “Not for lack of trying. You too?”

Tim smiled, but there was no humour in the expression. “Not for lack of trying,” he echoed.

Huffing a slight laugh, she was too tired to be amused, she moved to the couch next to him and curled up next to him. “What keeps you up at night?” she asked.

Tim sighed. “Nightmares mostly. I’ve been through a lot – you know that. But it’s not even really that which keeps me up. I mean, sometimes I dream about the League of Shadows or the Joker, or whatever. But mostly I remember – and that’s almost worse – all the ways the family’s left me behind before. I mean, all of them except me and Alfred have died before. That’s messed up, Mari. And I just can’t be alone again, not like I was before Bruce. I think it would destroy me to be alone again that way.”

Marinette reached over and grabbed his hand. “I know. But you have them back now. And you have me. We’ll all do our best not to leave you alone again.”

Tim smiled down at her. “I know. I just don’t always remember, that’s all. What about you? What keeps you up at night?”

Marinette sighed. “Mostly memories of attacks – Syren, Queen of Hearts, even Miracle Queen… But also, the thought that someday, I might not be enough. I might not come up with a strategy, or the Cure could fail. Or I might not get away in time afterwards and my identity could become known. Even sometimes the thought that Chat Noir will stop being my partner because I’m dating you…”

“Oh, Mari,” said Tim, sliding an arm around her and pulling her closer to him. “If that happens, or if you’re too overwhelmed you can call me for backup. You know that, right?”

Marinette smiled up at him. “I know that. But it goes against everything Master Fu taught me.”

They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the comfort of the other’s presence. Eventually, they fall asleep. Marinette’s presence reminds Tim that he’s not alone and Tim’s presence reminds Marinette that she has people on her side who have her back.

When they wake the next morning, it’s to sore backs and cricks in their necks but peace in their minds at the knowledge that they aren’t alone anymore.


End file.
